Cansposed

If you watch the demo of this you'll be extremely excited, and yes it does look like a miracle...but that's because there was something important left out of the demo vid that you won't find out until after you own the effect: contrary to what they claim, the spectator does NOT have free choice of any drink.

The first part of this routine (and the part conveniently left out of the video) is the part where the spectator "chooses" the drink from a prepared list of possibilities (and you can see where this goes from there). Then you proceed to make the drink appear out of a Coke or whatever. There is no "pick any drink you can think of" walk up like they do in the video. While this might not set some folks off on the effect, it's something that should have been shown rather than misrepresenting the entirety of the effect.

Next is the gimmick. You are given enough for 15 performances, after which you buy refills (don't try to make these yourself). Then there is a good amount of prep work done before you perform, but that's to be expected. Just be careful because the prepared drink can and will leak if you don't keep it upright. And the spectator cannot hold or inspect the can during or after the effect.

There is actually an easier way to prepare the can that doesn't involve the gimmicks and actually plays bigger and safer because the spectator could actually open the can and pour the drink out. I won't give away the secret of "Cansposed", but for a non-gimmicked version let me just say concentrate on the bottom of the can and the idea will probably open up to you.

On the plus side, the gimmick could be used for other effects. It's easy to see where this could be strong for several things if you use your imagination.

Mash Pack by Garrett Thomas

This is literally a one-trick pony. You can "vanish" a card box and have the deck appear, then have the box reappear if you'd like. Unfortunately, the deck cannot be used for a trick itself as the sides are marked too much for use. Garrett does a good job of showing how to ditch the deck for one you can move into with your act, but you'll need to be wearing a jacket in order for this to be effective (deck switch only as he shows it...you can do the disappearance of the box without it). It seems a little limiting for a card trick like this.

The follow up using the other included deck isn't much more impressive, though in its defense it is an effect you can slip into your routine as a closer (since the entire deck has the card box's face on it). You could use the deck for any other trick after the "transformation" though, because the backs are identical even if they are different from what the spectator is used to seeing.

There are two things I don't like about this. First, the price is far too steep for something like this. While you do get two decks and a DVD, I feel this could easily have gone for $20-$25 and been more in line. Second, the performance on the DVD is less than impressive. At one point he's going to vanish the deck into a hat and have it switch places with the box. Unfortunately, while he's holding the box and deck in the same hand he's got it positioned so it plainly shows the marks of the deck parallel with the box (making it painfully obvious to the spectator and us what's going on). Likewise, his performance with the other deck is unimpressive. He does the effects with two different audiences, and the two ladies he chose to use in the pool hall are completely under-whelmed at everything. They look like they know they're supposed to be acting impressed, but are either too nervous to act natural or just aren't impressed with what's going on. I'm not asking for some Criss Angel crowd screaming and fainting here, but he might have done better using a more enthusiastic pair.

This isn't the worst effect I've bought this year, but it's definitely not one I'd feel comfortable performing.

The Hawk 2.0

This is another case of where watching the demo video might make you his "Add to Cart" immediately (as it did with me). After all, a card very visually changes right in front of the spectator's eyes while you have left the deck on the ground and are a few feet away...how much more powerful does it get than that?

Unfortunately, this is also one of those effects that leave out a few rather vital caveats that change this from an "anytime/anywhere" trick to one for a specific time and place.

First, the gimmick. It's not indestructible, but it appears rather sturdy (after you finish building it). Yes, it's one of those tricks where you get some parts and are shown how to finish the gimmick up and prepare the deck you supply for the effect. While I don't mind this on tricks where I could build my own gimmick later if the supplied one breaks, I don't think most people could create this gimmick from scratch.

The setup is another issue. You won't do this one impromptu or in a quiet room. You'll need a least ambient noise to keep the gimmick's sound from registering with the spectator. Also, you'll need to be the one grabbing the deck from the ground. You can hand the spectator the card that appears at the top (they can even have signed it), but the gimmick needs to be ditched before handing the deck out for examination.

Does that mean you should avoid this effect? Well, the payoff for it is a very visual card change that looks like real magic and can be done even in a street magic environment. You just have to know you probably won't be doing this at the office for a friend (a small crowd that's talking, sure).

Catch!

Just watching the demo video gives you an idea of how incredibly visual this appears to be. It really does happen as the video shows, but contrary to their claim this is most definitely not impromptu.

You have a spectator select a card and put it back into the deck, then you spring the cards into the air and grab their card out of mid air in the midst of the fluttering cards. It's not a bad effect, but you definitely need to be prepared ahead of time for it.

First of all, you have to be wearing a jacket. The spectator needs to be back a little way from you. You cannot let them examine the card you have plucked from the air. You cannot do this with a signed card. You must be able to do a card force, and for safety's sake you must be able to control the card and palm it from the deck before you spring it into the air (otherwise it could land face up at your feet while you're supposedly holding the one they chose). You cannot repeat this trick with another card (unless you have very roomy sleeves and two gimmicks). Once finished, you must walk away to get rid of the "caught" card because you can't lose it in front of the spectator. If you've got all that covered, you are ready to perform "Catch!".

Does this sound like a lot more work than it should be for an "impromptu" trick?

The gimmick takes a few minutes to put together, but it's nothing major. Once it's done it'll last you quite a few times if you are careful. I have to give this two stars simply because it is indeed very visual. Done in a stage environment this would be an excellent closer. In a street magic scenario it's not as practical because you have 51 cards scattered to the wind around you, leaving you with a lot of cleanup after the payoff.

The DVD is very well done and the effect is taught clearly. Creation of the gimmick is also very carefully explained and easy to do. This isn't for everyone, but for the right magician in the right environment it can make you look impressive.

Zap!

While you've probably seen Derrin Brown do his famous subway "instant hypnosis" on people, have you ever considered doing it yourself? If so, you are the person this product was aimed at. The claims are wonderful: "be able to instantly hypnotize someone and drop them like a sack of potatoes"...and all of this with very little training outside of a 2 hour DVD and very thin booklet of information.

And yes, it's too good to be true.

The DVD shows a few examples of Zap in action on random spectators, and then you are given about 90 minutes of "you can do Zap, and here are things to keep in mind" speeches with very little training at all. If you think you're going to walk away from watching this and control people like Derrin Brown, you are dead wrong.

I honestly don't know how Penguin Magic could support this incredibly expensive effect. They usually have a very good track record of keeping high quality effects, but this time through they have dropped the ball. This is something you will watch a time or two, attempt (and fail) a couple of times, and then throw on Ebay. The price of this is high to keep it to a specific audience, which makes the finished product that much more of an insult.